FAQs
Processing Frequently Asked
Questions
If your concern is not addressed here, please do not hesitate to
Contact Us for more information.
Accounts & Billing
Credit Card Processing
Check Processing
Miscellaneous Issues
How do I change the bank account
to which my funds are transferred?
We will need a copy of a voided check for your new business account,
or a letter from the bank on bank letterhead. You can fax these
documents to us at (206) 418-1273. Please contact us to let us know
that you request a change of your bank account on file before sending
the required documentation.
Do I need a second account in order
to accept cards at another location?
Preferably, yes. It is the best way for you to keep track of all
transactions and deposits; it is also the best way for us to keep
track of all activity, and distinguish between the different locations.
Do you have any hidden fees?
We try to be open about all of our fees and charges. All of our
fees are listed on your merchant application. If you were charged
a fee that you were not made aware of by your Sales Representative,
please contact us to discuss it further.
What does my minimum monthly fee
encompass?
Your discount rate and transaction fees are the only fees that are
counted towards your monthly minimum.
When do you deduct your fees and
charges from my bank account?
There are two billing options for your account. With day end billing,
your discount rate is deducted from each batch prior to our depositing
the funds. Subsequently the transaction fees are deducted from your
account for each individual batch. At the end of the month all your
other fees are deducted (monthly minimum, statement fee, and other
fees that may apply to you). Our month end billing option is available
to select merchants with a good track record either from their previous
processor or with us for 2 months. With this option all charges
are deducted at the end of the month in one lump sum.
How long does it take after the
transaction for my funds to become available?
48 business hours.
Can I have more than one bank account
linked up to my merchant account?
We are only able to deposit into one bank account per merchant account.
IF you would like one of your terminals to deposit into another
account, you will need to open another merchant account.
Can I process for more than one
business with my merchant account?
No, you will need to set up an additional merchant account with
PPG, Inc. Contact your Sales Representative
for more details.
Can I use my retail merchant account
for Internet transactions?
Yes, we are able to associate many different types of terminals
including a gateway account to one MID number. Please contact
your Sales Representative or the PPG, Inc. Office to discuss your
many options.
How can I determine the coverage
of my wireless terminal?
Pinnacle Processing Group, Inc. supports GPRS (General Packet Radio
Service) wireless units through the AT&T Wireless network. Each
terminal is registered on the AT&T network.
PPG, Inc. will explore supporting potential merchants
currently configured through Mobitex or Motient; however, because
of the growing difference between GPRS and Motient/Mobitex units
and networks, PPG, Inc. encourages any non-GPRS wireless terminal
merchant to consider one of the many buyout options available through
our Sales Department.
Where can I find a quick reference
guide for my retail equipment?
Quick reference guides can be obtained directly from our website.
Locate your terminal on our Retail
Equipment webpage, where you can download the quick reference
guide you need in PDF format.
Whom do I contact if I require
after-hours technical support?
Pinnacle Processing Group, Inc.'s Seattle based Technical Support
Department is open Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm, Pacific
Time (GMT -0800). Merchants can access the after-hours Help Desk
by calling our direct line (click here
for phone numbers) and selecting the correct option through the
main menu.
You can also contact the Help Desk directly. Depending
on your Merchant Identification Number (MID#), there are two options
for contacting a Merchant Support Desk after hours:
If your MID starts with a V, please call 1.800.847.2737,
and select option 5.
If your MID starts with 56, please call 1.888.999.6477, and select
option 1.
Where can I reorder supplies such
as printer paper for my terminal?
Supplies can be attained by calling the Technical Support Department
at Pinnacle Processing Group, Inc. Please contact the Technical
Support Department with any supply questions, Monday through Friday,
8:30am to 5:00pm, PST, at 206.365.3931, option 1.
Why is my machine taking so long
to authorize customers' cards?
There are a few reasons that credit card terminals take a longer
amount of time to process credit cards. Almost always, the reasons
will be simple, easy to troubleshoot, and in some relation to the
phone line.
Pinnacle Processing Group, Inc. strongly recommends
having a direct phone line from a phone jack to the terminal. Hubs
and splitters cause interference, which ultimately leads to canceled
transactions, as well as a frustrating experience. Fax machines
even when they are not sending or receiving can take up the line
or can cause noise that interferes with the terminal. Additionally,
phone features such as call waiting and voicemail can create pauses
and delays when the terminal attempts to dial for a transaction
authorization.
Some static can be cleared by adding a DSL filter
to the phone line that the terminal is using. These can be found
at stores like Radio Shack and cost about $2.
Most terminals are built to use the old analog phone
lines. When you switch over to a digital line the terminal may be
able to do transactions and may not be able to batch. This is due
to how data is transferred on the digital line. A transaction sends
a very small amount of data, where a batch sends lots of data. Currently
there is no 100% fix for this issue. Sometimes the issue can be
solved and sometimes not depending on the circumstances. Also, the
credit card machines will not work on a line the is a VOIP (Voice
Over) only line.
What if I have questions about
my statements, or account ( i.e. setting up a discover or American
Express account)?
Please contact the Customer Service Department with any questions
regaurding your account, Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm,
PST, at 206.365.3931, option 2.
What do I do if my credit card
machine is not functioning properly or I cannot batch?
If you have any technical issues relating to the machine itself,
please contact the Technical Support Department, Monday through
Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm, PST, at 206.365.3931, option 1. or call
our after hours line.
If your MID starts with 56, please call 1.888.999.6477,
and select option 1.
If your MID starts with a V, please call 1.800.847.2737, and select
option 5.
What happens during a typical
credit card transaction?
For credit card transactions including DEBIT cards not using
a PIN number: Once you have entered all the information for
the transaction, your terminal transmits the data via your telephone
line or internet connection to our processing center. The processing
center contacts the Bank that issued the card to verify that the
card is valid, and that the funds are available. The funds to cover
the transaction are placed on hold in the cardholder's account,
and their available balance is reduced accordingly. The response
comes back to your terminal, and the receipt is printed. At the
end of the day, when your transactions are "Batched out" the funds
on hold in each of your customers accounts are transferred through
the ACH system, ultimately to be deposited in your Business checking
account.
For PIN based DEBIT transactions: If you are
equipped with a PIN PAD you can choose to run any DEBIT card presented
for payment through the VISA or MasterCard network; or, by using
your PIN PAD you can use the DEBIT networks shown on the back of
the card. These transactions similarly result in a transmission
of data from your terminal to our processing center, however the
data is then sent to the appropriate DEBIT network for confirmation
of the PIN number entered. If the PIN is correct and the funds are
available, the funds are immediately debited from the cardholder's
checking account. It is important to note that these transactions
are irreversible through the DEBIT networks, and you will have to
run any credits as a standard VISA or MasterCard transaction. If
you have any questions about DEBIT transactions, or would like to
hear more about the potential cost savings to your business associated
with accepting PIN DEBIT transactions, please contact
us for further assistance.
What is the difference between
a credit card and a debit card?
When you take a credit card, there is no PIN number required. Furthermore,
it is not a transaction done in real time: you authorize a specific
amount of money, and that amount is put on hold at the credit card
issuing bank. That transaction does not actually go through until
a few days later. On the other hand, payments with a debit card
are PIN-based transactions that happen in real time. Once the authorization
has been approved, the money is immediately removed from the cardholder's
account.
Which cards can I accept besides
Visa and MasterCard?
American Express, Discover, JCB (Japan Credit Bureau), Diners Club,
T&E, debit cards, EBT (food stamps). We are also able to support
many types of gift cards, should you choose to have your own in-store
gift cards.
Do you accept transactions in
other currencies besides US dollars?
No, not for accounts based in the United States. We do have the
ability to set you up with an account accepting Canadian currency,
but only if your business is registered in Canada.
Can I key in orders manually?
Yes, but keying in card numbers manually comes with a higher cost,
and a higher risk.
Does my business name appear
on my customer's credit card statement?
Yes. We have the ability to have it include information like your
phone number, etc. There is a limited number of characters provided,
but we can work with you to create what would work best for your
company, to help prevent confusion when people see their statement.
How do I set my account up to
accept American Express and Discover, and what are the fees?
Pinnacle is able to set up an American Express or Discover account
for you. There are no setup fees related to either two. Once the
accounts are established, American Express and Discover will send
you a statement of all the applicable fees related to your account.
What are my options when it comes
to accepting checks?
There are two types of check acceptance:
Check Verification: This is a process that screens checks
and check writers against a "negative database" of "bad check writers".
This is done at the point of sale when the customer presents a check
as payment. This service is performed using your point of sale terminal(or
a real-time internet process)to access one of these large negative
databases and compare the new transaction against the list. If the
customer has a history of bad checks,the transaction will be declined.If
they are not in the database for bounced checks,they are approved.
Check Guarantee: This is a program in which
you are guaranteed to be paid on your checks. It is a type of insurance
provided to merchants. Each check you accept is verified.The check
guarantee company lets you know whether the check writer has any
outstanding unpaid bad checks.This is completed by running the check
through a check reader or by keying the check information into a
terminal.If it shows that there are no outstanding checks in the
system,the check guarantee company issues an approval and an authorization
number which means you are guaranteed payment for that particular
check.
I already accept credit cards
through PPG, Inc. Why should I accept checks?
Yes, you can use both credit card processing and check processing
services together.
Can I use both credit card processing
and check processing services?
Accepting checks is another way to meet your customers needs. For
those customers who prefer to pay by check, we offer check processing
services.
Can I accept checks over the Internet?
Yes, you can accept checks over the Internet.
What information should I provide
to PPG, Inc. when I call, email or fax?
Business name, your merchant identification number (MID), contact
name and number, and the nature of business. If you need to fax
a voided check or other sensitive document to us, please call before
sending to let us know.
I have misplaced my Sales Representative's
contact information. Can I contact him/her through you?
We can provide you with their contact number, but if your Sales
Representative is an outside agent and does not work in this office,
it is difficult to pin them down in a specific location. All of
our sales reps have cell phones and we would be happy to provide
you with that number.
Will my personal and financial
information be shared with other companies?
Only per your request. When we set up your account to accept American
Express, Discover, or a different external processor, we have to
share your financial and personal information. We will never share
such information for any other purpose without your prior approval.
Please review PPG, Inc.'s Privacy Policy for further details on
how your information is handled.
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